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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Earth Changes: 2010 A Year of Change

Earthquakes, tsunamies, cyclones, vulcanic eruptions! Vulcanic eruptions? Oh, yes, how could I forget that another major factor in Earth changes are volcanoes. Especially, when on March 20th, Iceland's volcanic region under Eyjafjallajokull glacier erupted after almost 200 years of silence; the last eruption occurred in 1821. This particular volcano is located about 75miles/120kilometers east of Reykjavik, Iceland.

Iceland is a nation of approximately 320,000 people, and is a volcanic area of activity in the Atlantic's mid-oceanic ridge. Volcanic episodes are often triggered by seismic activity (earthquakes), as the planet's tectonic plates move. Magma/lava is forced-upward from the planet's molten core, and then ejected in an eruption (often violent) spilling onto the surface; often accompanied, or preceded, by clouds of smoke, gases, minute particles and water vapor.

A more significant eruption occurred on Wednesday, April 14th, almost a month after the March incident. This new eruption occurred under the ice cap, and was reported by scientists to be 10 to 20 times more powerful than the one in March.

Since Wednesday, travelers across Europe have been grounded owing to the ash and tiny glass particles that are part of the material being expelled from the volcano, and a potential risk for airlines flying through the volcanic clouds. As to when this volcanic activity will cease; no one is certain.

There is also some concern about another relatively close volcano, known as Katla, which has been known to erupt in tandem with Eyjafjallajokull. Katla is situated beneath the vast Myrdalsjokull ice cap, with its last major eruption occurring in 1918; scientists say a new eruption is long overdue.With the large amount of earth-related activity that has been occurring since the beginning of 2010, it would be sound advice for people to become a little less self-absorbed and take a look around at what's going on in their world, and perhaps prepare themselves for an emergency should it occur. (Source: YAHOO News).